Quote:
Originally Posted by ComixZone
I'm not a huge fan of Hartley. I don't think he coaches a modern possession based game of hockey, but this team's roster and coaching has dictated our position in the standings, not coaching alone.
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I don't believe this to be true. By all accounts, our possession metrics have improved drastically over last year, and the style of game they are playing is trending much more towards a possession game. Problem is, our personnel have not yet adapted to playing that way very well. Some have, others are struggling.
This may be a year where the players have to adapt to a new style of play, and we see which players fit and which ones don't going forward. That's the part of rebuilding that is essential, figuring that out. We are starting to see the holes in the lineup based on playing the game a consistently successful way, and it's simply showing that we have work to do on the roster.
The struggles may also be that Hartley is trying to figure out how to implement a more possession based system with the players he has. Previously, he created his own style based on the talent he was given, and it was unconventional to say the least. While he was successful in the short term, both he and Treliving know that you can't play that way and be successful long term. Hartley isn't stupid, and he's shown to be more willing to change his ways than any coach I can remember. Things are definitely different this year, but the success isn't there. Part of that simply may be that the poor start led to this team not believing in itself as much, and a fragile psyche is the hardest issue to overcome for a team.
I've already written this year off as a development year, but I agree with those that are saying we should start making roster moves as soon as possible to address the glaring holes.